Place Brands in the Digital Age: Analyzing Communication Strategies and Audience Engagement of Brands on TikTok

Place branding has gained significant visibility in recent years as a strategic approach to attract vital resources such as tourists, investors, and residents, which is crucial for a place’s sustained development. As a strategic tool, nation branding promotes national appeal and supports diplomatic efforts within a competitive global landscape. TikTok, a social media platform launched in 2017, has revolutionized digital communication by 2023, amassing 1.9 billion users, predominantly from younger demographics. Within this framework, the study aimed to analyze the communication strategies employed by nations on the platform. The research sample comprised ten European nation brands selected due to their status as the only ones currently actively utilizing TikTok to connect with their audience. Employing content analysis as the primary methodological approach, the study identifies key identity elements commonly used by nations on the platform and evaluates their influence on audience engagement. The findings underscore a growing trend of digital place branding on TikTok, highlighting the strategic use of dynamic, trend-oriented content to enhance national visibility and connection with younger audiences. This research contributes to the understanding of emerging digital place branding practices, offering valuable insights for specialists into the evolving strategies and implications of national representation in the rapidly changing social media landscape.